When people hear about stroke cases, they mostly picture older adults. That’s because stroke patients or survivors are usually in the 55 to 85 age range. However, unknown to many, even younger people – under 45 years old – can suffer from a stroke and seek physical therapy for stroke in Miami. Celebrities like Kid Cudi, Emilia Clarke, and Hailey Bieber have shared their scary experience with stroke. Notably, these individuals suffered from cerebrovascular accidents in their 20s.
Like other stroke survivors, they experienced alarming symptoms like slurred speech, numbness or tingling sensation, vision problems, and excruciating headaches. They also had their fair share of difficulties while recovering and rehabilitating their body.
A 2017 study revealed an alarming finding: the number of young stroke patients is skyrocketing. However, it’s unclear why there are more reported cases than before. If you worry about this problem, you might find it helpful to look into how the condition works, what symptoms you should look out for, and what factors might leave you susceptible to a stroke.
The younger population of stroke patients predominantly suffer from acute ischemic stroke – a cerebrovascular accident stemming from a blocked artery that supplies the brain. According to a study, around 15 percent of acute ischemic strokes occur in adolescents and young adults. Notably, this type of stroke affected Hailey Baldwin when she was only 25.
The blockage problem stems from dislodged fragments of fatty plaque on the arterial wall. When the clot travels to the brain, oxygen and nutrient flow to your brain tissues gets disrupted. Within minutes, your risk for necrosis or brain tissue death spikes, and you become at risk of suffering from long-term problems like paralysis, confusion, aphasia, gait problems, and impaired problems.
Besides acute ischemic stroke, you should also be wary of having a hemorrhagic stroke. As the name suggests, this type results from ruptured blood vessels inside the brain. Emilia Clarke, the actress who played Daenerys Targaryen in the GoT series, suffered this type of stroke back in 2011. Her cerebrovascular accident caused her to undergo two brain surgeries to remove the aneurysms and save her life.
Studies note several risk factors for strokes in young people. Knowing about these might come in handy in making necessary lifestyle adjustments. Here are a few examples:
Excessive alcohol intake
Too much alcohol in your system can affect your blood pressure and make you susceptible to cardiovascular problems like stroke and hypertension. Sadly, about 25.8 percent of the young adult and adolescents in the country binge drink each month.
Smoking habits
According to the CDC, about 30.8 million adults smoke cigarettes, and roughly 21 percent are below 44 years old. The risk of suffering from a stroke doubles when you smoke tobacco products. That’s because nicotine affects your blood pressure regulation and depletes the oxygen levels in your circulatory system.
Diabetes
Type II diabetes is relatively common in the country because of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. If you have diabetes, your risk for stroke increases by up to 1.5 times more than the average Joe.
Abnormal blood cholesterol levels
Too much blood cholesterol can significantly affect your overall health. And it can compromise your blood vessels. They can accumulate on the walls of your artery and veins, leaving them narrow and stiff and at risk of atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and aneurysms.
Poor health habits
Poor lifestyle choices like lack of physical activity and excessive consumption of foods rich in fats and preservatives can make you highly susceptible to heart problems and diabetes.
If you have any of the risk factors above, we strongly recommend looking closely into them to improve your prognosis. It would also help to share them with loved ones who might be predisposed to suffer from a stroke.
Unfortunately, while some can limit their likelihood of suffering from a cerebrovascular accident, others have already suffered from the injury. If you are part of the statistics, it would greatly help to reach out to a group of stroke rehabilitation experts. This way, you can begin planning your key steps and look for options for physical therapy for stroke in Miami. It will also identify treatments or procedures that can help you manage impairments like paralysis, slurred speech, and loss of motor skills. Here are some of the standard components of a typical stroke rehabilitation program:
Regardless of the age and severity of paralysis, you can count on our team to help you. We at iAM ABLE have extensive experience in assisting patients to overcome the challenges of living after a stroke. We provide physical therapy for stroke in Miami, carefully designed to fit the needs of each patient. Our team comprises physical therapists and trainers who will help you reach your rehabilitation goals, one session at a time.
As part of your support system, our family of professionals will also provide helpful tips and tricks to navigate challenges you might encounter during your visits. You may also take advantage of our valuable resources like the iAM ABLE eBook on overcoming paralyzing conditions like stroke and learn seven actionable steps you can integrate into your rehabilitation plan. Whatever stage you are in your stroke recovery journey, rest assured we will make sure to provide you with the best care possible.
Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.